For the marinade: Combine the garlic, bay leaves, carrots, celery, onions and
wine in a large bowl or container. Add the beef; cover and let sit in the
refrigerator at least 4 hours or overnight. (This is a really important step:
it makes a huge flavor difference.)

For the stew: Remove the beef from the marinade. Strain the veggies and bay
leaves from the marinade and discard. Reserve 2 cups of the marinade.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Coat a large, wide pan or Dutch oven with olive oil and bring to medium-high
heat. Sprinkle the beef with salt and toss with the flour; do not flour the
beef until you're ready to brown it. Add the flour-coated beef to the hot pan,
but be sure to not crowd the pan; you will need to work in four batches. Brown
the meat well on all sides, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the pan to a baking
sheet.

After the first two batches, deglaze the pot with 1/2 cup of the reserved
marinade, scraping up any browned bits. Drain the liquid into a small bowl. Add
more olive oil to the pan to coat and cook the remaining two batches of meat.
Add the meat to the baking sheet. Deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup marinade,
scraping up any browned bits.

Add the bacon and cook until it gets brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Toss in
the mushrooms, carrots, celery, garlic and onions, and season with salt. Cook
until the mixture starts to soften and becomes very aromatic, about 10 minutes.
Add the tomato paste and cook, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the remaining 1 cup marinade
and deglaze the pan, stirring up any browned bits, 1 minute. Add the beef. Stir
to combine and cook until the wine has reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Add
enough of the beef stock to just cover the surface of the beef. Toss in the bay
leaves and thyme bundle. Cover the pan, bring the liquid to a boil and put in
the oven.

Cook the beef for 2 hours. During the last hour of cooking time, add the
potatoes. Cover the pan with the lid and put the stew back in the oven to cook
for an additional hour.

Remove the pot from the oven and skim off any excess grease from the surface of
the stew. Garnish with the chives and serve with crusty bread to sop up all the
sauce.

The Run-Away Couple - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish

Lightning flashed through the tiny leaded windows, followed a few moments later by rumbling thunder. That musty, earthy smell of old buildings hung in the air. That must be what the inside of a grave smelled like. Goosebumps covered Piper's arms. There was no railing, leaving a pit around which the stairs curved. Piper leaned against the stone wall until the wave of nausea eased. It was eerily quiet. Piper heard slow footsteps on the stairs below her. Somebody real was in the stairwell with her. Piper ran up the last few steps to her floor. About to rush for her door, she staggered half a step back when it creaked open and a woman came out of her room. The woman had a basket in one hand like a chambermaid but cleaning rooms at this time of night? The woman wore a long black cloak, the hoody of which had been pulled up over her hair and face. Who was she? "Hello, can I help you?" Piper said. The woman partially turned her head and peered at Piper past the hoody with a very clear blue eye. When she heard something behind her, Piper spun around and screamed.
Piper's sister Eloise was getting married. Piper was to serve as her maid-of-honor and until she reached the chapel of this ancient lodge she had no idea that the best man would be Marcus. Both sisters had known him since childhood. He spent as much time at their house as he did at his own. He and Eloise were best friends but Piper had been his pawn. He loved to play pranks on Piper making sure he got the best of her and many times even making her cry. And now she had to put up with him at her own sisters wedding. Without a doubt he had a prank to prank all pranks in mind to really make a fool out of Piper. But this time she would be prepared. There was no way he would ever get the best of her again.

After the wedding Piper started wondering about her sister's choice for the wedding. What had she been thinking to have her wedding in a lodge that was so creepy. She was ready to go to her room, gather her belongings and head for home. She didn't want to spend another hour in this place nor with the best man Marcus. Seems those plans just weren't going to happen any time soon.

This book takes you to a 'haunted' lodge where Piper's sister and soon to be husband will say their vows. You'll learn the story of the 'haunts' and why they occur. But... you'll never begin to guess the ending of this beautiful, erotic love story. It sure ended with a surprise for me. Now I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series to see what surprises Author Maggie Tideswell has in store for her readers.

1/2 cup Sugar (to taste) mix with a small amount of cinnamon for taste and color
1 cup Milk (a little more if you like it more moist)

Package Cornflake Crumbs (optional)

Mix all ingredients with cooked noodles that have been rinsed in cool water. Put in 8 x 10 (or similar size) Pyrex pan that has been greased with a little butter or margarine. Top with packaged cornflake crumbs (optional) and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for about an hour. Cool and cut into squares for serving. (You can double the recipe and freeze some, too.)

(Based on a recipe from the authors' mother, Rosetta.)

Terror in a Teapot - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish

Now, just what can all of these people have in common? Well, Goldie and Godiva are twin sisters. Caesar is Godiva's boyfriend, Flossie is the mother of the twins and Sterling is their father's brother, known to them by the affectionate name of 'Unk.'

But where is the connection between the 'family' members and the other characters? It all has to do with The Seven Deadly Samovars, or Tea Pots if you live in America. It seems the Tea Pots were shipped from Russia to Goldie's shop but were lost in transit. The Church Ladies had ordered one through Goldie as a retirement gift for Father Innocent. When they are finally discovered they seem to live up to their name 'Deadly.' People start dying, Tea Pots start missing and the mystery starts spinning as the twins do a little detective work to track down the missing pots and find the killer or should I say killers.

This book, as all Morgan St. James and Phyllice Bradner books, gives you suspense, humor and a special surprising twist at the end. I can't get enough of their writings and hope they come out with yet another Silver Sisters Mystery very soon.

A Book Review

"This book is made up of 3 individual stories. All three are short reads and other than the setting, which is Mexico, all three are completely different."
(Martha A. Cheves)

"You'll follow Logan as she tramples through kudzu, goes to her first Testicle Festival, rents a room from a woman who runs around at night in the nude and connects with a wolf. You will also follow her as she gets her man, or should I say men."
(Martha A. Cheves)

"Will the people of Hollow Gap pull together and defend themselves from the Indian up-rise or will they fall apart. Find the answers to these questions and more when you read this book of taming the West through love."
(Martha A. Cheves)

"I would NEVER have guessed the turn of events that make up the last 20 pages of Fresh Frozen. The hiring of the spy will surprise you and the murder will surprise you even more. So if you love a good mystery, this book is definitely for you."
(Martha A. Cheves)

"As I read I felt as if I was a witness watching this evil man do the things he did to these young women. As I read through the trial I felt like one of those ready to convict him. As I listened to the comments by his wife, I could feel her pain and confusion."
(Martha A. Cheves)

"After reading Breaking My Silence I saw Jane as a strong person who was determined to do whatever was needed to get her children back into her life and to do whatever it took to make her life as complete as possible without the prostitution. This was one of the most informative books I've ever read about a subject that is normally kept behind closed doors."
(Martha A. Cheves)

"
While reading Genesis Beach I found myself not wanting to put it down. Each page had a piece of evidence that would help me solve the mystery before Logan. I really thought I had pin-pointed the murderer. Boy was I in for a shock."
(Martha A. Cheves)

"I've enjoyed reading this book. It's a cross between a "fiction" and a "true crime." So if you enjoy either genre you will enjoy A Study in Red. Do keep in mind that this book is very descriptive."
(Martha A. Cheves)

"The story captured me from the beginning, the evil of Rovella never ceased to amaze me, and the love that was always there but didn't surface due to guilt made me feel the pain that I'm sure she felt. The ending was perfect."
(Martha A. Cheves)

"This has been a really enjoyable book.
I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery. Beth, don't change your way of writing! I've really enjoyed reading Basket Case and will be reading more of Beth's books."
(Martha A. Cheves)

"I feel this is a wonderfully written book that would be helpful not just for young people who are overweight but also for those who look at a person, no matter the age, call them names, shun them and refuse to accept them as they are."
(Martha A. Cheves)

"Bertha Speaks Out is a very enjoyable book to read. Bertha finds herself in positions that will make you laugh and cry. You will feel her pain but also feel her pride when she stands up for what is right. It’s a must read for children as well as adults.
"
(Martha A. Cheves)

"Read Thicker than Water and ask yourself these questions. Did the wife make the right choice? Was her decision worth 15 years of her family’s life? Would you have made the same decision?
I highly recommend Thicker than Water. As I said, it was a joy to read."
(Martha A. Cheves)

"As I read I kept asking myself “Who would put out a hit on David and why?” “Who are The Chosen Few and what do they have to do with David?” “Will Max get to David before it’s too late?” You will have to read The Chosen Few yourself to find the answers to these questions."
(Martha A. Cheves)

"This book has taught me that life is like a chain. Everyone we meet becomes a link in our chain. Some links may be weak, but the strong ones keep the chain from breaking. And as memories and secrets are shared with those strong links, they become even stronger."
(Martha A. Cheves)

Kaw River Kitchen Mystery (Make sure you read the story behind this dish which will be at the end of book review) (A premium chil...

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I'm from Georgia, moved to North Carolina by way of Florida. I've been in Charlotte for 14 years and love it. The recipes in my book Stir, Laugh, Repeat are all tested by "Food Testers" of which I now have 24. They try a dish and rate it from 1-10 with only those scoring at least an 8 making the book. My website is a holding place for my 2nd book Stir, Laugh, Repeat... Again. Please visit my site to find new recipes and tips. All recipes are easy, using common ingredients and according to my testers, great!

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Stir, Laugh, Repeat - Reviews

"This is by far one of the most exceptional cook guides that I have ever read. Martha's book has old flavor and contemporary style suitable for meat lovers and vegetarians. I commend this book to all. Thanks Martha!"
(Carol Denise Mitchell, Author of Rovella Starr)

"Move over Paula Dean, Emeril, and Rachel Ray: Make way for the new Queen of Southern hospitality and cooking our very own Martha Cheves. As a total non-cook and someone who has trouble boiling water without burning it or making an egg hard without it exploding; even I can follow and create one of her clear, concise and easy to understand recipes."
(By Fran Lewis "Fran and Bertha")

"Were I to take up cooking, the unique quality of Cheves’s Stir, Laugh, Repeat would be a premium start. The value of Martha’s work rests in its straightforward, easy-to-follow directions that even a doctor can follow. While reading, studying, and chuckling through Stir, Laugh, Repeat, it quickly hit me like a flying frying pan that Martha A. Cheves is clearly the a surgeon of the kitchen."
(Darden North, M.D., Author of Fresh Frozen)